Bold Dak Prescott Prediction Has Cowboys Star Reaching Major NFL Milestone – Sports Illustrated

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It's not hard to find critics of Dak Prescott. Despite going from a mid-round pick to the franchise leader in passing yardage for the Dallas Cowboys, Prescott remains one of the most overly-criticized players in the NFL.
This isn't to say he's without flaws, because no player is. But to put the team's inability to win in the postseason solely on his shoulders is a bit ridiculous considering their drought has been going on since Prescott was three years old.
For those who can separate his performance from the star on his helmet, however, Prescott is considered one of the more underappreciated players in the game. That was just one of the things CBS Sports' Pete Prisco recently said about Prescott, while also making the bold prediction that he will win the NFL MVP in 2026.
"I think Dak Prescott, again, I say it time and again every single season, he's the most underappreciated, underrated player in the National Football League. And if they had any sort of defense, he would be that much better," Prisco said.
"Every time he took the field last year, he knew he had to put up big numbers, in large part because the defense was awful. I think the defense is going to be better. New coordinator, new system, better players. I love what the Cowboys did in the offseason on the defensive side of the ball. And Dak Prescott's going to roll up big numbers."
Prisco added that Prescott will likely cut down on the mistakes this season, thanks to the defense. In 2025, he was under constant pressure to score on every single possession, knowing one poor offensive drive could spell disaster for their chances. This year, that won't be the case with a revamped defense, which should allow Prescott to play without feeling he needs to force the issue.
In 2025, Prescott completed 67.3 percent of his passing attempts for 4,552 yards with 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He played so well that there was talk that he could win the MVP award if his team wound up in the playoffs.
This year, the improved defense means they should have a better chance to get into the postseason, and that has to happen for Prescott to secure such an award. While it is an individual award, team success matters with voters unlikely to give the award to a franchise that didn't have success.
In Prescott's case, however, the improved defense will surely be used as a reason why he doesn't deserve the trophy by those who already decided he's the problem in Dallas.
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Randy Gurzi is a graduate of Arizona State and has focused on NFL coverage since 2014.
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